Tag

dance

It’s that time of year! The annual dance showcase here at All Saints Academy is not just a tradition, but something looked forward to by our students, our parents, and alumni. This April show is a combination of pieces performed by ASA soloists, group dances, sibling numbers, and even father-daughter numbers. It’s a wonderful way for our dancers to show what they’ve learned in their dance studies throughout the year, and for them to get a taste of the stage.

This year’s performance is themed “No Business Like Show Business” and will be made up of numbers set to music from popular movies, iconic tv shows, theater pieces, and even show tunes. Our much-loved Mrs. Jeaniene Wright is our dance instructor and choreographer, and is a veteran of this “May show” as this is her 19th year heading it up! She answered some questions about why she values this annual show and why it’s important to her and to all of the families at ASA…

What is your all-time favorite memory from this show?

“I love the senior dances. They are really fun to rehearse.”

Why is this show so important for ASA?

“I feel being in a show teaches you self-discipline, organization, material management, commitment, and the performance builds confidence. I love that the older dancers help teach and assist at all the Lower School dance rehearsals.”

What would you like to say to future dancers at ASA?

“Experience all the opportunities that ASA has to offer – BUT COMMIT! If dance is your main interest, take classes!”

We can’t wait to see what Mrs. Wright and her students have in store for us at this year’s show. Join us at the Polk Theater on April 28th at 4:00 PM to enjoy this school wide performance and encourage the students who have worked so hard to make it possible. See you there!

All Saints Academy is known throughout the Central Florida area for our high standards in curriculum and education. Our students enter college and, eventually, the work force, with complete mastery of all core subjects needed for their respective fields. We are also intensely invested in the arts, including music, dance, painting, theatre, and more. Theatre is an especially beloved extracurricular at ASA, because it pulls together students of all ages, various faculty and staff members, and a variety of other resources from our school to put on performances of professional quality. Our bi-annual all-school musical is a favorite among ASA families and the community alike, and we’ve enjoyed some wonderful performances over the past few years, including “The Wizard of Oz” and “Oliver”, and we’re looking forward to the upcoming show “Oklahoma!” in March.

While theatre performance is fun, there are a plethora of educational and social benefits reaped by participating in the various shows we put on at ASA including:

teamwork

confidence

exposure to music, dance, voice, and other fine arts needed for performance

community involvement

relationship building with participants of all ages

These reasons, and more, are why so many of our students look forward to being part of the all school musical every two years, and from costuming and backdrop design, to actually being in the spotlight on stage during the final curtain call, everyone is vital to making the show a success.

If it weren’t for our theatre faculty here at All Saints Academy, the show just couldn’t go on, and two of our performing arts staff members are an integral part of each year’s various performances at ASA. Paul Hughes brings a background strong in performing arts, and has served as the Theatre Department chair at Lois Cowles Harrison Center for The Visual and Performing Arts in the past. Here in our own area, he has held the position of Artistic Director at the Lakeland Community Theatre, and Programming Director at The Polk Theatre. He brings lots of experience to the table and serves our school community with his skill in putting on a show that will be enjoyed by all. Elizabeth Burton is another key component of our theatre staff serving as a guest artist when we put on performances like our upcoming “Oklahoma!” show. She has years of experience as an actress, singer, dancer, and theatre coach and is able to offer a well-rounded performing arts education to our students who participate in performances at ASA. She has, herself, toured with major performances throughout New York, Boston, Chicago, and more, and can give students perspective from someone who is not only an instructor, but also a performer. Elizabeth is a Lakeland, FL native and has returned to her roots to educate students and help them reach their full potential. Finally, our very own Laura Hutson is providing all music for this event. We are proud (and thankful) to have her as the music teacher here at ASA, and she does a wonderful job instilling the love of music into our students of all ages. Her talent and the hard work of her students is sure to take the “Oklahoma!” performance over the top.

We look forward to seeing what our All Saints Academy theatre group has in store for us with the upcoming “Oklahoma!” performance. It’s sure to be a show you don’t want to miss! Join us at the Polk Theatre in Lakeland March 9th-11th. Tickets are on sale now, and are available in the school business office or at the box office on the days of the performance. We’ll see you there!